Furniture carpenters build or repair wooden furniture, specializing in certain types of products or materials. They may receive vocational training, on-the-job training, or certification from industry associations. Some may also restore antique furniture. Income varies based on specialization and demand.
A furniture carpenter builds or repairs wooden tables, chairs, bookcases and other types of furniture. Many of these individuals are self-employed, while others work for manufacturing companies, retailers or service companies. Some carpenters work with a wide range of materials or products, while others specialize in creating, repairing, or restoring specific types of wares.
In some nations, community colleges offer short-term vocational courses, during which individuals are taught to work with wood in a variety of different ways. Typically, these sessions cover general carpentry rather than just furniture-related work, although some institutions do offer classes in specific aspects of the craft that students can enroll in after completing general courses. Many people employed in this field receive on-the-job training as apprentices; in that case, someone who wants to become a furniture carpenter might seek employment with a company that produces or repairs wood products. In some areas, industry associations offer training classes that culminate in a practical exam; people who receive this training can become certified master carpenters. As with university courses, many of these programs are designed to prepare people to work in general trade rather than focusing on one type of work.
A trained furniture carpenter may specialize in producing one type of product, such as cribs, rocking chairs, or armoires. In many cases, these professionals prefer to work with one type of wood, such as pine, oak, or cedar, and a particular carpenter may produce a whole line of stylistically similar products made from the same materials. A furniture carpenter may sell these products to retailers or wholesale companies, while other people working in this field run their own stores; in that case, they may even produce customized products for individual customers.
In addition to producing new products, some people working in this field focus on repairing items that were produced by other people. In some cases, carpenters replace rotten or damaged sections of wood from beds, wardrobes, or cupboards, while other types of repairs may involve smoothing out scratches or reapplication of materials or varnishes. Many pieces of antique furniture are decorated with paints that are no longer mass-produced or feature ornate decorations that are difficult to replicate. Some carpenters study historic production techniques and specialize in restoring these unusual pieces of furniture.
Generally, a furniture carpenter who works with various types of products earns a fixed salary or generates a steady income working with a large number of business and consumer clients. People who do more specialized work may charge higher rates because the restoration and production process is more labor intensive. Also, because antique pieces of furniture are often rare, people working with narrow product lines often take on other projects to generate income during times when customers are few and far between.
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